There was a fascinating piece written by Simon Parsons on the Kerry Beagle (if you missed it, do go and have a read, In the Dog House, May 20) and the awarding of group 2 for Errigal Princess, at Banbridge. As Simon pointed out, we often hear about the plight of our British and Irish… read more

One of the groups Sigurd Wilberg was judging at Southern Counties Championship Dog Show was the Hound group. In the final four he had the Sakuki, Basenji, Basset Hound and Miniature Wirehaired Dachshund (a breed he is famous for). But from the ringside it looked like he was struggling to separate them for the top… read more

For most people, New Year’s Eve is now a dim and distant (and for some a distinctly hazy) memory but, for me, that night is still very, very fresh in the mind! It found me shivering in the cold outside Pet Control at Calais Eurotunnel with a 15-week-old Dachshund in my arms having just been… read more

FOR CENTURIES, Kazakhs have treated animals as unique gifts from God and considered them to be a symbol of happiness and wealth. Living in Kazakhstan, I have been lucky enough to witness a very special breed illustrate that dogs are indeed a man’s best friend with their close relationship, loyalty and companionship with humans. This… read more

IF YOU are the slightest bit interested in Afghan Hounds and their history I’m sure you will have heard of Zardin, the dog who created a sensation when he appeared in and won the ‘foreign dog’ classes at Crufts in 1909, ’10 and ’11. There are some familiar photos of him, as well as a… read more

In the interior of the Indian state of Maharashtra, far from the hustle and bustle of Mumbai, there exists a little known population of sighthounds. Kept primarily by village folk and tribal people, the Caravan Hound, called the Karwani by those who know it best, got its name by following the caravans of Central Asian… read more

The 27th Annual UKC Winter Classic was held in Batesville, MS January 23-25, 2014. There are two nights of hunting and the bench show has grown so large that it is now held over the two days. On Friday, there were 127 dogs entered. This included the dogs in the Top Ten competition, Dual Champions… read more

Central Africa has been the home of the Basenji for thousands of years. Since the time of the pharaohs, “the dog of the forest” has hunted alongside local peoples in the Ubangi-Uele basin, eking out a living in the heart of Africa. Research studies of canine DNA suggest the Basenji is one of the few… read more

The United States is sometimes referred to as a cultural melting pot, a place where immigrants from around the world come together to form an entirely original society. Although this metaphor has been challenged in recent years, it cannot be denied that America’s roots stretch in the direction of every nation on Earth. The migration… read more

The modern Saluki is the living embodiment of hounds that raced across the hot and arid sands of the Middle East thousands of years ago. Few breeds still in existence today can trace their lineage back to antiquity as can this ancient and enduring sighthound. Gazehounds developed naturally as landrace hunters along the Incense Road that… read more